Coupling and draft-cushioning device



No. 626,154. Patented May so, |899. M. PINK. CUUPLING AND DRAFTJUSl-IIONING DEVICE.

(Application led Jan. 25, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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9" W/TNESSES.

- Nrrnn STATES PATENT. FFICE- MATHIS FINK, OF CHASKA, MINNESOTA.

COUPLING AND DRAFTi-CUSHIONING D-EVIC.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 626,154, dated May 30,1899. Application filed January 25,1899. Serial No. 703,358. (No model.)

To all w/'wm tm/ay concern;

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

'This invention relates to means for connecting a traveling power devicewith the load to be drawn, and has for its object to provide a' simplepractical device for the purpose indicated, which will be convenientlyconnectible with the source of power, that may be a portablesteam-engine, such as a traction-engine, or horses attached to adraft-truck, and also to the movable load, which may be a heavythreshing-machine, a hay-loading device, o r any other transferable loadthat is to be drawn by themotive agent.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to so construct thecoupling device that a spring-cushion will be introduced betweenthe'motive agent, such as a traction-engine,

and the load it is to pull, whereby the inertia of the heavy load willbe gradually overcome and danger of injuring or breaking the couplingdevice be obviated.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter. described and claimed. Reference is to be hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiication, inwhich similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts inall the figures. ,y

Figure l is a side view of the device, illustrating its application.Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the same, showing working parts incoupled adjustment. Fig. 3 is a sectional side view showing the workingparts in uncoupled adjustment. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionalview'substantially on the line4 4 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 is a freversedplan the coupling device.

In the drawings showing an embodiment of my invention as applied to atraveling motor, such as a traction-engine, 6 indicates a portion of therear platform of the motor whereon the coupling device is held forservice. Upon the lower side of the platform 6 is secured a guideway 7,adapted to slidably support the body or draw-head 8 of the couplingy bymeans of the tongue-and-groove connecview of tion a. (Best shown in Fig.4.) The bracketlike guideway 7 comprises a top plate, from which dependthe rear wall b and two side braces c, all formed integral with thetopplate, thus providing a strong light support for the coupling proper.The draw-head 8 is boxlike in form, having parallel sides, an integralend wall, andan integral top plate, and an opening to the chamber A ofthe drawhead'extends throughout the bottom of the draw-head to givefreedom of action to the details located within the same.

A locking-dog is'provided as a main working part, consisting of anelongated and preferably rectangular body-piece 9, from which' upwardlyprojects an abutment d at its rear end, said abutment having arearwardly-inclined front wall. The dog 9 is pivoted in the draw-head 8,and is thus held free to rock below a horizontal plane, but is preventedfrom excessive upward movement by contact with the upper edge of thevertically-slotted partition-wall e, in which the dog may vibrate, saidwall being located near the longitudinal center of the draw-head, and,as shown in Fig. 4, has the inner corners of its depending spacedmembers e rounded to aordclearance to the dog-body for its free rockingmovement. y

A coupling-pin l0 islprojected from the upper. side of the dog' 9 nearits front end, and

on its free upper end a downwardly and forwardly sloped lip or head f isformed, and this end of the pin will enter an aperture in .the top plateof the draw-head also having a sloped front wall that will contact withthe sloped face of the lip or head and arrest the upward movement ofthepin, this position of said pin disposing the body of the dog 9 in ahorizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 2.

A receiving-throat isformed on the front end of the draw-head 8, havingfour flaring walls 8a, and the lower wall thereof is so positioned thatits higher inner edge will be at or near thevertical center of thechamber in the draw-head, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3.

A pusher-bar 11 is adapted to slide longitudinally in the draw-head 8above and near to the dog 9, which bar is forked at the front end topermit the pin l0 to move freely therein. The rear end of the pusher-bar11 may be sloped to have contact with the sloped front IOO face of theabutment d, so that the rocking depresssion of the dog 9 will push thebar 1l forward a short distance, which is defined by the impinge of thedepending lug g, that projects from the pusher-bar upon a transversesupport g for said bar, as indicated in Fig. 3.

A rock-shaft 12 is journaled at its ends in the side walls of thedraw-head S, one of said ends being projected outside of the wall it isjournaled in, and upon said extension of the rock-shaft a rock-arm 13 issecured, which trends rearwardly adjacent to the side wall of thedraw-head, passing loosely through the guard-loop 14, which projectsfrom said side wall. A lifting-arm 15 extends rearward from therock-shaft 12 and projects below a stud 7i, that is a short lateralprojection from the front portion of the rocking dog 9, the lifting-armbeing depressed by the tension of the torsion-spring 16, which ismounted upon the rock-shaft and has its ends respectively secured tosaid shaft and to the side wall of the draw-head 8, the stress of thistorsion-spring also serving to normally hold the rock-arm 13 seated uponthe lower end of the guardloop 14, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. A shortrest-block 17 projects from the rock-shaft 12 in an upward and rearwarddirection, so as to be adapted to support the front end of the dog 9when the latter is rocked into a level position, as shown in Fig. 2.

From the free end of the rock-arm 13 a flexible connection 18, which maybe a cord or chain, extends up to loosely engage a support t', andthence to another support m, from which the flexible connection passesthrough the platform 6 for its convenient manipulation by the occupantof said platform. A detent-spring 19 depends from the side wall of thedraw-head S, and from its form is adapted to engage and temporarily holdthe rock-arm 13 inclined upwardly and rearwardly, as i11- dicated bydotted lines in Fig. 1.

A draw-bar Sb projects rearwardly and loosely through an orifice in thedependingwall b of the guideway 7, having a strong' coiled spring 8cmounted thereon, said spring having its ends respectively in contactwith the wall of the guideway and with a washer n held in place on therear end of the drawbar by a cross-pin or equivalent means.

A coupling-link 2O is provided to detachably connect athreshing-machine,a hay-loading apparatus, or any other heavy movableload mounted on wheels or runners with the portable engine that is topull such a load. As shown, the coupling-link 2() comprises a bar ofsuitable length having a ring-eye o at one end and a pair of spacedclip-plates p formed on the opposite end, the latter being designed fora bolted attachment upon the end of a draft-pole 21, that is projectedfrom the machine or other movable load that is to be hauled by theengine having the coupling thereon.

In effecting a coupled connection of the engine-platform G with thedraft-pole 21 the latter is directed toward the flared mouth of thedraw-head S, and the draft-engine is then moved rearward so as to enterthe ring end o of the coupling-link 20 within the draw-head. It is to beunderstood that the dog9 has been dropped into the inclined positionshown in Fig. 3 before an attempt is made to effect a coupled engagementof the power with the load, this being readily accomplished by pullingon the flexible connection 18, so as to lift the rock-arm 13 and movethe rest-block 17 forwardly and away from the front end of the rockabledog 9, the detent-spring 19 then serving to retain the rock-arm liftedagainst stress of the torsion-spring 16, a subsequent relaxation ofdraft strain on the flexible connection after the dog has fallenpermitting the torsion-spring to return the rock-arm to its normallowered position. The depression of the dog 9 moves the pusher-bar 11forward until the depending lug g thereon strikes against the transversesupporting bar g', which will prevent the dog from falling an improperdegree, the stud h by impinging upon the lifting-arm 15, as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 3, coacting to stop the fall of the rocking dog.The fall of the dog 9 into an inclined position gives to thecoupling-pin 10 a forward inclination and disposes the sloped surface onits head f, substantiallyin the same inclined plane with that ofthelower cross-wall of the throat of the draw-head. Upon a forcibleinsertion of the ring end oof the coupling-link 20 into the mouth of thedraw-head 8 said end will strike upon the curved base of the forked endof the pusherbar 11 and slide the bar rearwardly, which willcorrespondingly rock the dog 9 upwardly at the forward end, passing thepin 10 through the ring end o and thence into the aperture made toreceive it in the top plate of the drawhead, thus eecting a coupledconnection of the engine with the shaft-pole 21 by means of thecoupling-link 20. The rocking movement of the dog 9 into a horizontalposition will permit the rest-block 17 to rock into arearwardly-inclined position after the dog has passed above saidrest-block, the tension of the torsion-sprin g 16 causing the rest-blockto assume such an inclination, which is limited by the contact of therock-arm 13 upon the lower end of the guard-loop 14, The restblock 17 isnow loosely engaged with the lower forward corner of the dog 9 andsustains it level and the pin 10 in coupled position.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the pull of thedraft-engine having the improved coupling device on it will first beimposed upon the cushion-spring 8, which by its grad ual compressionwill absorb any sudden shock incident to the overcoming of inertia ofheavy load strain, so that the movable load may be started"-with safetyto the engine and coupling that connects it to the load it is to draw.Nhen the load is to be uncoupled from the source of power that has movedit, this maybe eiected quickly by IOO IIO

nection 18 has been pulled to lift the rock-I arm 13, if this is donegently, the comparatively weak detent-spring 19 will temporarily holdthe rest-block 17 away from the end ot'A the dog 9; but a quick jerkingaction applied to the cord 1S after the dog has fallen willl permit theforce of the torsion-spring 16 to instantly return the rock-arm to itsnormal lowered position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination witha draw-head chambered initsbody, and means for slidably su pporting said draw-head on amotor-platform, of a weighty dog pivoted near one end in the draw-head,a Vertical coupling-pin on the front end of said dog, a spring-actuatedrockshaft in the draw-head forward of the dog, a rest-block on therock-shaft adapted to snpport the dog and'pin elevated, an arm on therock-shaft, adapted to carry the dog when it falls into an inclined.plane, and means for rocking the shaft and removing the rest-block fromthe dog to permit its descent by gravity.-

2. The combination with a slidable springcushioned draw-head chamberedin its body,

of a weighty dog pivoted near its re'ar end in the draw-head chamber, avertical coupling# pin on the front end of the dog, a spring-ac-v tuatedrock-shaft journaled in the walls of the vdraw-head forward of -the dog,a rearwardly-inclined rest-block on the rock-shaft, a rock-arm on oneend of the rock-shaft, a guard-loop on the draw-head, wherein therock-arm vibrates and seats to limit the rearward inclination of therest-block, said block engaging the dog to hold it and the couplingpinelevated, and means for raising the rockarm for the release of the dogand pin.

3. The combination with a longitudinallyslidable and spring cushioneddraw head, chambered in its body, a weighty dog pivoted near its rearend in the draw-'head chamber, a coupling-pin projecting upward from thefront end of the dog and having a sloped uplper end adapted to enter anorice formed in the top of the draw-head, and a slidable pusher-barforked at its front end to straddle the coupling-pin, and contacting atthe rear end with an abutment on the rockable dog, of a spring-actuatedrock-shaft in the drawhead forward of the dog, a projection on therock-shaft adapted to support the dog and pin elevated, means to rockthe shaft for a release of the dog and pin so that they may ,fall intoan inclined plane by gravity, and a coupling-link with whichthe.coupling-pin will engage when said link is pressed into the draw-headand slides the pusherbar rearwardly. l

4MATHIS FINK. WVit'nesses:

, GEO. A. DU TOIT,

V. J. GREINER.

